Automatic control system for aeroplanes



Dec. 6, 1932: KOUN AUTOMATIC CONTROL SYSTEM FOR AEROPLANES Filed April28. 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR I z y Dec. 6, 1932. KQUN AUTOMATICCONTROL SYSTEM FOR AEROPLANES Filed April 28. 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 45jg ZZZVQ Patented Dec. 6, 1932 A1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE YOUNG HKOUN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

AUTOMATIC CONTROL SYSTEM FOR AEROPLANES.

Application filed April 28, 1931; Serial No.-.533,497I

The invention relates to aeroplanes and its same principle: When theaeroplane is tiltobject is to rovide a stabilizing means for ing towardsthe front; the weight onthe rails controlling tie aeroplane in the air.moves upthe inclined plane, and when the Another object of the inventionis to proplane is in horizontal position the weight 5 vide a stabilizerfor aeroplanes adapted for moves-back'to its original position and restshand control operation and self-control operon the base of the inclinedplane. ation so that it may operate with hand con- The altitudecontrolling tube is mounted trol or without, thus providing forautomatic on the fuselagelongitudinally thereto andis operation,parallel to the front partof the fuselage and C Additional objects ofthe invention will beto the propeller shaft.

come more fully known by the following The device described herein isforthe conspecifications, in which the preferred formof trol of anaeroplane either by hand or by the invention is described. automaticallyor semi-automatically operat In the drawings similar referencecharacing.

ters' refer to similar partsin all the views, The .device'controllingthe wings when seen of which in the? direction of flight, is constructedas Figure 1 is a plan view of a monoplane follows: equipped with astabilizing device mounted As illustrated, an aeroplane 10 of any conintubes on the fuselage. ventional type has suitably attached to, itsFigure 2 is a side view of Figure 1. fuselage in rear of its wings 11equipped with Figure 3 is a diagrammatic plan view of. the customaryailerons 12 to both sides of the stabilizer means and wiring. thefuselage,.a cross-wise arranged tube or Figure at is automatic altitudecontrol stick container 13 provided with doors 14:.

7 shown in section. The bottom of the tube 13 carries an in- W Byreferring to the drawings it will be seen sulating rubber pad 15 actingsimultaneously that a monoplane is illustrated, but it will of. as.shock absorber;

course be understood that the invention'may Bottom pad 15 carries in thetube on one be used on a biplane or any other type of side of thefuselage near its inner end a subaeroplane. It should also be understoodthat stantially wedge-shaped rubber body 16 hav- 3 the device can bemounted on the wingorin ing a .stop16' and juxtaposed to a metal elethewings instead of on the fuselage. The ment 17 near the-outer end of thetube and device'may be arranged to occupy onetube or both carrying ametal rail 18 on which the box instead of three tubes. rollers 19 of acarriage 20 are running.

Briefly described, my invention comprisesa The pad 15 forming the bottomof tube good conductive metal weight firmly mounted 13 on the'oppositeside of the wing carries t on good conductive metal rolls. Theweightalso a rubber body 16" which is substantially with the rolls 18 mountedon good conducwedge-shaped and with its pointed end isditive metal railswhich are built into an insurccted towards the inner end of the tube,lated tube and mounted on both sides of the while acting as shockabsorber 16'.

fuselage horizontally. Its opposite end is juxtaposed to ametal 9 Thetubes are parallel to the wings and element 17 and both elements16" and17 laterally disposed thereto, so that the tube carry the rail 18 onwhich run the wheels and wing coincide in their motions. The rails 19 ofa carriage 20'. are built with a sloping or inclined plane, A wire 21connects the metal body 17 with just steep enough so as to allow theweight one pole of a pair of solenoids or electroto move along the planewhen thewing'is magnets 22 the other pole of which is con tipped, and tomove back into its original nected by a wire 23 to a battery 24: and byposition when the wings are on even level and a wire 25to a switch 26. y

the aeroplane is in normal flying position. The carriage 20 is connectedby a wire 27 The altitude control system works on the to switch 28.Oppositely disposed to the poles of the electromagnets 22 is an armature29 normally spaced from said poles and connected by means of a spring-30to the stick 31 pivotally attached as at 32 in the cockpit of theaircraft. and balanced by springs 33, 34; o

An armature 35 is attached by means of a spring 36 to stick 31 on theopposite side thereof, and is normally spaced from the poles of anelectromagnet 37. s j

Electromagnets 37 are connected by means of wire 38 to battery 24, andby means of wire 39 to the metal piece 17 while the carriage 20 isconnected by :means ot alwire 40 to switch 28 closing a circuit over thewires 41, 42, grounded at- 43, 44, on the fuselage of the plane.

In the center of thefuselage a tube 45 i provided longitudinallyextending to the fuselage of the airplane and having on one side arubber pad 46 carrying on its outer end a wedge-shaped rubber body 47having a shock absorbing abutment 48. J uxtaposed to rubber body 47within tube 45 is a metal element 49 and carrying a vrail'fl50 on whichrun the Wheels 51 of a carriage 52. A wire 53 connectedto said metalbody is grounded as at 54, while a wire 55 connects The switch 25 to apair of electromagnets 5'6 connected by wire.57

the carriage with switch 26. is connected by-meansof wire to the battery24. r

j'An armature 58 is connected by means of a spring 59'to'stick 60controlled by a spring 61, andthe controls for the'elevator control gearare operated by means of member 62 connected by'means of member 63 tothe ele vators 64, '65. I y I The dev ce operates as-follows: Assumingthat during the flight the right hand wingof the plane sinks elevatingthe left hand wing. This will slide'carria-ge 20 from its position onthe insulated member 16 onto the metal member 17 to'close a circuitacross wire 21'to solenoids 22-.wire23 to battery 24 and wire 27 toswitch 28. The electromagnets willbe energizedto' attract armature 29and move stick 31to the right. -This stick is injthe usual manner notform ng part of myinvention connected to themeans controlling theaileron 12 so as to turn aileron- 12 on'the'left wing upward to offerresistance to the air which willtend to lower tbe'left hand wing thuscarrying the right hand w ng upward until the aircraft isbalanced'again. the carriage 2O sliding back into its normal position oninsulation 16 will open the circuit, de-energizing the electromagnets sothat spring 30 can now guide the stick 31 into its normal position.

The same were of o erations will take place it the letthand wing islowered and the right hand wing elevated. If the plane goes into a-tailspin, carriage 52 will. close in a similar manner a circuitover'electrotrolled stick magnets 56 and the armature 58 will move 'Iclaim as newand desire to secure by Letters Patent is V 1. In a deviceas described, a tube transversely arrangedto. the fuselage of anaircraft behind its wings, and comprising duplicate circuit closers onefor each-wing, each consisting of a carriage normally resting ona railon an insulated member adapted to slide onto a metal member over whichsaidrail eX- tends, upon the lowering of the respective wing to close acircuit, solenoids energized upon the closing of the circuit, a springcon controlling the ailerons of the craft, and armatures to be attractedby the energized soleno1ds,means connecting stick and ailerons to raisethe aileron ion the raised wing and to lower the aileron on the loweredwing stabilizing the aircraft. 2. In an aircraft including its fuselage,

a casing longitudinally arranged in said fuse lage, an insulator memberin said casing, a metal member arranged 1n uxtapos1t1on thereto, a rail,covering said insulated and metal member, a carriage running on saidrail normally held on the insulated member, running on said rail toengagesaid metal member, a circuit in which said metal memher andcarriage are located to be closed upon the arrival of said carriage onsaid metal.

member by the raising of the a rcrafts tail, a stick, connectionsbetween said stickand the elevators. an armature connected to saidstick. solenoids adapted to be energizedupon i the closureof the circuitto attract said armature to operate said stick and its connections tothe elevators to raise the same for balanc ing the'craft about to gointo a tail-spin.-

3. In an aircraft, means for automatically.

stabilizing the same when tilting from the horizontal plane of flight,said means: comprising casings, each having an insulated bottom, aninsulation member on said bottom, a conductor member juxtaposed thereto,a stop on said insulation member, a rail,'and a carriage running oversaid rail. circuits in which said conductor member and carriageare-located adapted to be closed upon the moving of said carria e ontothe conductormember under the influence of the t lt of a wing and thetail piece of the'aircraft. solenoids adapted to be energized by theclosure of the circuits. armatures adapted to be attracted by saidsolenoids upon their energization, a stick, connections between saidstick and said armatures to draw the stick in one direction upon theclosing of the circuits, connections between the stick and the aileronsand elevators, adapted to be operated by the displacement of said stickto raise the aileron on the raised wing and to lower the aileron on thelowered wing to balance the craft bv the air-resistance against saidailerons, and said elevators.

4. In an aircraft, means for automatically stabilizing the same whentilting from the horizontal plane of flight, said means including astick, connections between said stick and the ailerons and elevators ofthe plane, circuits, means for automatically closing said circuits bythe inclination of the plane, solenoids in said circuits adapted to beenergized upon the closing of said circuits to attract said armatures,springs for connecting said connections to the stick to draw it with thearmature towards the solenoids to operate the ailerons and elevators tobalance the craft, and springs for controlling the movements of saidstick, and means for automatically controlling the auxiliary cable forthe control of the rudders.

In testimony whereof, I a-fiix my signature.

YOUNG HO KOUN.

